1 . From people’s brains, a song was just picked by scientists. In a new experiment, electrodes (电极) measured their brain activity as they listened to a song. From those measurements, a computer could then produce noises that sounded like the song the people had heard.

The 29 participants were in the hospital and had electrodes fixed in their brains. These electrodes were meant to track the source of their epilepsy (癫痫), a disorder of the nervous system. For part of that time, they listened to a song-Pink Floyd’s 1979 hit Another Brick in the Wall. But in this experiment, the researchers found an additional use for the electrodes. They used them to catch the electrical signals moving between brain cells, or neurons (神经元).

Neurons responded to the song-especially in parts of the brain involved in processing sound. Electrodes detected neural signals associated with hearing rhythm, harmony and other aspects of music. With that information, the team built a computer model to create sounds based on brain activity. And it was able to produce noises that sounded like the original song.

“It’s a real tour deforce,” says Robert Zatorre, a neuroscientist in Canada. “You’re recording the activity of neurons directly from the brain, so you get very direct information about exactly what the patterns of activity are.”

The new study also highlights which parts of the brain respond to different aspects of music. Take one known as the Superior Temporal Gyrus (STG), an area of the brain that is in charge of sound and language. It’s found in the lower middle of each side of the brain. Activity in one part of the STG got stronger at the onset of specific sounds. Say when a guitar note played. Another area of the STG became obviously more active when it heard singing.

1. The application of detecting signals by the electrodes is ________.

A．an improper practice	B．an unintentional move
C．an efficient tracking method	D．an effective approach to treating epilepsy

2. What was the computer model intended to do?

A．Detect neural signals.	B．Monitor brain activity.
C．Analyze different brain activities.	D．Interpret neural signals into music.

3. What does the author mainly want to show in the last paragraph?

A．The brain is comprised of different areas.

B．The new study proves the complexity of the brain.

C．Different brain areas pick up various aspects of music.

D．Different styles of music cause different brain activities.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．New Fields for Music Study	B．Reproduce Music from the Brain
C．A Real Blessing for Music Lovers	D．Create Computer Models for Brain Research

2 . Scientists have been able to track the entire life of a mammoth (猛犸象) that lived more than 17,000 years ago. The team figured out where in Alaska it likely was at any given point of its 28-year life.

To do so, the researchers closely studied a 1.8-meter-long mammoth tusk (象牙) dating back around 17,100 years. Mammoth tusks grow by adding layers of tissue almost daily, forming rings like a tree that can reveal detailed information.

The main thing the researchers analyzed was strontium isotopes (锶同位素), which can act almost like an ancient GPS. Different areas have different isotopic features, which start in minerals deep underground and make their way to the top of the land, into plants and water. Finally, they can be seen on the animals that consume those plants and water.

Previous studies had produced an isotopic map of Alaska by analyzing isotopes in the teeth of hundreds of small animals, which don’t travel far in their lifetimes and so represent a local area. The researchers can then compare isotopic signals from each part of the mammoth’s tusk to this map, to get an idea of where the mammoth most likely wandered throughout its life.

The scientists started from where its remains were found. Working backwards, the scientists then looked at the isotopic feature of where the mammoth was about a week before death, then searched the map for the best match in a nearby area. A model then worked backwards stepwise to determine the most likely routes the mammoth might have taken.

According to the research, the mammoth seems to have spent his early years in the Yukon River Basin and Alaska, constantly trekking between several territories in a predictable pattern. The team says that this behavior seems to be like modern elephants, moving regularly from place to place.

1. What is the key to reading the mammoth’s tusk?

A．The length of the tusk.	B．The age of the mammoth.
C．The area the mammoth lived in.	D．The tissue found in the tusk’s layers.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A．Plants and water are main carriers of isotopes.

B．The isotopes in the tusk came from the underground.

C．It was difficult to analyze the isotopic features of an area.

D．The researchers were surprised to find isotopes in the tusk.

3. How do previous studies benefit the present one?

A．By explaining the significance of tusks.	B．By recording the animal species of Alaska.
C．By offering researchers a map to compare with.	D．By proving the possibility of analyzing isotopes.

4. What does the underlined word “trekking” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Looking for food.	B．Escaping from dangers.
C．Making a long journey.	D．Sending warning signals.

3 . Liberty Hill Farm

Liberty Hill Farm, recognized as Vermont’s first Green Agritourism Enterprise, offers visitors opportunities to milk and feed Robeth Holstein cows. It also has a small hotel with seven guest rooms, which makes it a perfect destination for those looking to enjoy a relaxing vacation along with a farm tour.

Walker Honey Farm

Curious about how honey goes from beehive (蜂箱) to bottle? Visit the family-owned Walker Honey Farm in Texas, where you can take a guided walking tour of the farm’s facilities and hear first-hand from beekeepers. The 45-minute tour also includes a stop at Dancing Bee Winery on the farm’s property, where guests can try honey wine, one of the oldest wines still consumed today.

Charleston Tea Plantation

Charleston Tea Plantation is North America’s only tea plantation. Guests can see the acres of tea plants and visit the only tea factory in America. There’s also an option to take an amazing tour with Bill Hall, a third-generation tea taster who oversees the daily operations here. Want to take some tea to go? Visit the on-site gift shop to buy specialty teas and related items like tea cups.

Thoroughbred Heritage Horse Farm Tours

On the three-hour and guided tours, guests can see and learn more about Calumet Farm, a farm famous for excellent horses and racing operations covering nearly 800 acres. Tours also include glimpses (体验) of movie filming locations for films like Secretariat, Seabiscuit and Dreamer.

1. Which of the following tours provides accommodation for tourists?

A．Liberty Hill Farm.

B．Walker Honey Farm.

C．Charleston Tea Plantation.

D．Thoroughbred Heritage Horse Farm Tours.

2. What do Walker Honey Farm and Charleston Tea Plantation have in common?

A．They are unique in their areas.

B．They both include a 45-minute tour.

C．They are world-famous tourist attractions.

D．They offer direct communication with the staff.

3. Why are Secretariat, Seabiscuit and Dreamer mentioned?

A．To explain the visiting process.

B．To introduce some famous movies.

C．To stress the popularity of the farms.

D．To present an eye-catcher of the tours.

4 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Qinghefang Ancient Street. a part of Hefang Street,     1     (lie) at the northern foot of Wu Shan Hill in Hangzhou. It is just several hundred meters away from the beautiful West Lake. With     2     area of acres (英), Qinghefang Ancient Street is the only well-preserved part of the ancient city. It serves     3     one of the busiest streets in Hangzhou where visitors can go shopping in century-old shops. enjoy local snacks, experience tea culture, and admire ancient buildings.

Qinghefang Ancient Street     4     (be) a busy business area since ancient times. The street saw the rise and fall of several     5     (dynasty)-from the Yuan Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Most of the existing ancient buildings here     6     (build) during the end of the Ming Dynasty or the     7     (begin) of the Qing Dynasty. In October 2002, Qinghefang Ancient Street was     8     (official) opened, one and a half years after the conservation project was started. A lot of old shops were preserved and some new shops     9     sell local specialties and other souvenirs were opened for visitors. The redeveloped ancient street now is proud of     10     (it) street culture, entertainment. business and tours.

5 . George saved every coin for twenty years and used all that money to build a house on his farm for his family. ________, his house was built and ready. After that, an auspicious (吉利的) date was ________ to move into his new house with his family.

But just two days before that day, a (n) ________ happened and George’s house was completely destroyed. Upon ______ the news, he went to buy sweets before going to the ________ where his house was built. There, many people gathered and expressed their ________ for him, because he lost his house before he could even get to live there. Some people tried to ________ him.

However, George took out the ________ and started giving them to everyone, which made them ________, wondering why he did so. Seeing this, one of his friends said, “Are you ________? Your newly-built house has collapsed (倒塌) in the earthquake, your lifetime ________ has been wasted and here you are happily ________ sweets!!”

George smiled and said. “You only ________ the dark side of this serious event, so you are not able to pay attention to the ________ side. It’s good that the house collapsed today. If it had collapsed when I lived in this house, my wife, my children and I all would have been ________! How big a loss would have happened then! So whatever happened, happened for good only.”

1.

A．Actually

B．Suddenly

C．Finally

D．Obviously

2.

A．canceled

B．chosen

C．changed

D．forgotten

3.

A．flood

B．sandstorm

C．typhoon

D．earthquake

4.

A．hearing

B．spreading

C．breaking

D．editing

5.

A．town

B．market

C．village

D．farm

6.

A．respect

B．concern

C．thanks

D．wishes

7.

A．impress

B．praise

C．comfort

D．accept

8.

A．sweets

B．tools

C．coins

D．bricks

9.

A．awkward

B．anxious

C．pleased

D．confused

10.

A．confident

B．amazed

C．crazy

D．powerful

11.

A．money

B．time

C．chance

D．profit

12.

A．putting away

B．handing out

C．packing up

D．showing off

13.

A．challenge

B．explore

C．fear

D．notice

14.

A．positive

B．ugly

C．natural

D．caring

15.

A．remembered

B．killed

C．found

D．sheltered

6 . Cheap volunteer programs abroad for high school students

Volunteer in Peru

Many kinds of popular Peru volunteer programs are provided, including Teaching, Animal Care. Medical and Amazon Jungle Conservation (保护). Volunteer work in Peru is based in the capital, Lima.

• Program fees are $275 for 1 week.

• Volunteers are accommodated in a volunteer house or homestay.

Volunteer in Bali

Bali volunteer programs include Teaching, Childcare, Environmental Education and Health Education. Volunteer work in Bali is based in the cultural center of Ubud. the northern coastal town of Lovina and the island of Nusa Penida.

• Program fees are $385 for 1 week.

• Volunteers are accommodated in a volunteer house within a traditional Balinese village.

Volunteer in Belize

The special Marine (海洋的) Conservation volunteer program is based on a private island 16 miles off the coast of Placencia in Southern Belize. Help preserve an easily-broken marine ecosystem by diving (潜水) and collecting data on amazing marine life.

• Program fees are $1,050 for 1 week.

• Volunteers are accommodated on a private island off the coast of mainland Belize.

Volunteer in Croatia

Choose from a wide range of trusted Croatia volunteer programs, including Youth Support, Special Needs Support (for people with mental or physical problems), Animal Care and Marine Conservation. Volunteer work in Croatia is based in the coastal center of Split.

• Program fees are $975 for 1 week.

• Volunteers are accommodated in a comfortable and modern dormitory-style hotel.

1. What do Volunteer in Peru and Volunteer in Bali have in common?

A．They need volunteers with medical skills.	B．Teaching and care programs are included.
C．Volunteer work is based on a private island.	D．They offer several different accommodation choices.

2. What skill is needed for volunteers to work in Belize?

A．Teaching English.

B．Organizing events.

C．Diving in the sea.

D．Nursing patients.

3. Which is probably suitable for a volunteer hoping to give support to the disabled?

A．Volunteer in Peru.

B．Volunteer in Bali.

C．Volunteer in Belize.

D．Volunteer in Croatia.

7 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is road testing a new way to keep winter roads ice-free by spreading on them cheese brine, the salty liquid     1    (use) to make soft cheeses, like mozzarella(马苏里拉奶酪).

Wisconsin, also called “America’s Dairyland”, is famous for its cheese. The state produced 2.8 billion pounds of cheese last year! As a result, there     2    (be) a lot of leftover cheese brine.     3    (dispose) of the brine can be expensive. So what should cheese makers do     4     the waste?

Cheese brine has salt in it,     5    , like the rock salt, helps lower water’s freezing point.

    6    (normal), towns use rock salt to de-ice streets. The salt lowers water’s freezing point, causing ice     7    (melt). But using cheese brine could help both cheese     8    (produce) and cities save money, while keeping roads safe.

In addition to saving money, cheese brine could also be a more eco-friendly option. Many people suspect that all the rock salt used every winter     9    (harm) the environment, because road crews spread about 20 million tons of salt on U. S roads every year!     10    , by spreading cheese brine on streets before adding a layer of rock salt, Milwaukee may be able to cut its rock salt use by 30 percent.

8 . 阅读下面材料, 根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段, 使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Once upon a time, in the midst of a fine summer, Tom and his younger brother Jack went on an amazing trip to a picturesque beach with their family.

Excitement filled the air as Tom and Jack eagerly packed their buckets and shovels (铲子), ready to explore the sandy wonders that awaited them. The moment they arrived at the beach, they wasted no time and rushed directly towards the shoreline.

With the wind brushing gently over their cheeks, Tom and Jack dug their hands into the soft grains of sand, laughing happily as they felt grains of sand passing through their fingers. Their laughter was echoing along the coast.

Then the two little brothers decided to build a splendid sand castle that would leave everyone in awe. With the sound of seabirds singing in the background, they began their grand project. Side by side, they cupped their hands, dug into the soft beach, and started building their dream castle. With great care and precision, they sculpted and shaped the sand with their fingers, crafting each tower and wall. The boys were lost in their work, feeling the warmth of the sand beneath their fingers. They seemed to hear whispering tales of the distant, mysterious ocean.

Time seemed to stand still as the boys poured their hearts into every detail of their sandy creation. With each passing moment, the sand castle grew in both size and beauty and it began to take shape. Together, they patiently decorated their dream castle with seashells and twigs, imagining a world of soldiers, princesses, and magical creatures.

Seeing the castle stand proudly before them, the two little brothers breathed out a sigh of relief. Their eyes shone with excitement. They were like architects who were appreciating their masterpiece that expressed their extraordinary imagination.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

However, just before they knew it, the seawater began to rise.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jack nodded his head in agreement and they determined to rebuild it.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Doing morning exercises is a daily routine in every Chinese kindergarten and school. For the grown-ups, however, familiar schoolyards have already been replaced     1     public parks.

The morning scenes in central parks around China are lively. At every corner of the park, you can also see people     2     (practise) many kinds of sports: square dancing, badminton and so on.

But the most eye-catching groups in the park are the so-called “Kung Fu Grandpas/ Grannies”,     3     videos have gone viral on the Internet. Most of them are ordinary workers from different industries who only started working out after their     4    (retire). They say age is just a number when it comes to fitness.

The     5     (benefit) of exercise are endless: a healthier body together with a slimmer figure and a     6     (happy) mood. No matter how old they are or when during the day they exercise, they will always strengthen the body.

Social connection is also     7     the elderly seek during their morning workout. Feng, who is seventy-two years old, plays Taichi every day. He     8     (keep) this exercise routine for six years and now he is managing a WeChat group of 270 members who share     9     same hobby.

“What I like about this place is that newcomers are always welcome. Everyone in the park feels     10     (include), ” said Feng. It is like a chorus of life.

10 . One of the biggest challenges that traditional educators face is how to unlock students’ love of learning. Once students overcome their fear or unwillingness, they will be on the track of becoming motivated learners.

In order to help students discover the joy in learning, some teachers are turning to a simple but effective strategy called gamification-using game-related elements such as activities and rewards to promote students’ engagement in class. With an origin in educational psychology, this approach is designed to reach students by making the learning process funny and interesting.

What’s more, researches show that gamification can also make assignments less stressful. Without too much pressure, students will associate learning with curiosity and joy. Accordingly, they feel like continuing the journey because positive feelings have boosted their confidence.

But like any other strategies, gamification has its drawbacks when used incorrectly. It is very likely that some students only focus on winning rewards but have no interest in understanding concepts or learning new skills-exactly the opposite of the desired outcome. To avoid this, teachers can help prevent students from becoming wrongly motivated by choosing suitable rewards. Instead of class parties or snacks, try rewards that help students develop a passion for academic subjects.

For example, have students earn points towards a class field trip by behaving and doing their assignments, or pair subjects that a student dislikes with fun books or activities to encourage motivation. That way, they associate fun with reading, math, or other skills. More examples include competing on a leader-board, holding a talent show, or playing other team-building games. All activities and rewards need to be carefully selected and well arranged.

If you’re having a hard time getting your class interested in learning, talk with them together or individually about what motivates them and include it into your student engagement strategies.

1. What can we learn about gamification from the first two paragraphs?

A．It improves students' critical thinking.

B．It advocates a traditional teaching style.

C．It motivates students to be active learners.

D．It promotes the use of video games in class.

2. What is the author's attitude to the application of gamification?

A．Favorable.

B．Worried.

C．Doubtful.

D．Objective.

3. How should teachers avoid the drawbacks of gamification?

A．Set learning goals for different students.

B．Associate learning process with assignments.

C．Encourage teamwork by holding class parties.

D．Select suitable rewards for teaching activities.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The analysis of a teaching strategy.

B．The future influences of gamification.

C．A discovery about motivating learners.

D．Recent research on education system.